St Peter’s Under 5s

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff provide a relaxed, fun and homely environment where each child is valued for their individuality and treated with respect.

For example, children discuss their differences as they notice pictures and photographs on the 'All about me family tree'. Children form very secure attachments with their dedicated key person. Behaviour is very good.

Children are happy and confident, particularly the older ones, who demonstrate a good awareness of safety, sharing and how to be kind. For instance, older children help new children find a cushion to sit on during group time without prompts and then show them how to stack each o...ne back on a wooden post to 'help keep them tidy for next time'. The committee and staff work particularly well together, which helps ensure the organisation of the playgroup is very good.

Since the last inspection, the appointment of a strong and capable manager is helping to drive improvement and maintain good standards in all aspects of care and education. The manager has high expectations for the playgroup. She and senior members of the team are mentoring staff, modelling good teaching practice and making positive changes to improve outcomes for children.

For example, staff promote children's independence very effectively by offering long periods of time where they can choose to play inside or out in the fresh air. This helps all children instigate their own play across all areas of the curriculum.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

The manager and staff develop successful partnerships with parents and other adults involved with the children, for example when they discuss children's attitudes and achievements during home visits prior to starting playgroup.

This communication helps staff to be very aware of children's individual needs. This warm approach helps children to settle quickly and to feel safe and secure. Leaders and staff work very effectively with a range of agencies to support individual children's care and special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Staff use their experience and knowledge of children's individual development to adapt activities to encourage curiosity and learning. This helps children make good progress in relation to their starting points. For instance, staff discuss height and the number of bricks in a tower with older children.

They encourage younger children to explore and persevere as they delight in mixing flour, salt, oil and food colouring to make a dough. However, occasionally, some staff do not recognise chances to extend children's interests and abilities, to help ensure they achieve their highest potential.Staff skilfully develop children's vocabulary as they plan a rich and varied curriculum.

For example, children discover things for themselves and talk about what they have learned. Older children describe their physical skills, climbing on structures, and younger children make engine noises as they investigate how vehicles make tracks in foam. Younger children's language and communication skills develop well.

For instance, staff encourage the use of signs and symbols to help support communication skills.The staff team are positive role models. For example, they speak to each other politely and provide gentle, clear and consistent boundaries to children.

However, occasionally, the organisation of staff at some group activities and routines, such as mealtimes, means staff interactions with children are not engaging or enriching, particularly for younger children.Staff keep parents well informed about the progress that their children are making. For example, parents' noticeboards located throughout the setting display information to encourage learning at home, such as shape and number recognition and monthly newsletters with activity ideas.

Parents speak highly of the dedication of the staff and high levels of care that their children receive. They say they frequently recommend the playgroup to others.The manager values the opinions of the committee, staff, parents and children and actively seeks their views when evaluating the provision.

For instance, parents suggested a 'letter of the week' to help encourage children's interests in letters. This is already having a positive effect on children's interest in reading books at home. The committee values all suggestions and is keen to fund staff to improve their qualifications to higher levels, to help benefit children and families.

Children effectively gain the skills they need for their future learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The safeguarding lead and her deputy have consistently good training to help them ensure all staff receive regular updates.

Leaders and staff have recently undertaken more training on-site to help ensure they are confident in their understanding of procedures to be followed if they have concerns about children in their care. The committee follows robust recruitment and induction procedures to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide children with an even greater level of challenge during activities, to help them achieve their highest potential, particularly with regard to literacy for older children nensure staff deployment is well organised and effective, especially during group activities and mealtimes, so that all children can be supported in their learning.

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